Geochemical investigation of the taphonomy, stratigraphy, and palaeoecology of the mammals from the Ouled Abdoun Basin (Paleocene-Eocene of Morocco)

Ancestral radiation of paenungulate mammals (Paenungulatomorpha)—new evidence from the Paleocene of Morocco

“…Their stratigraphic provenance is most likely from middle Paleocene phosphate beds. This is supported by a recent geochemical study by Kocsis et al (2021) of the phosphate matrix of the studied mammal specimens, which shows that they have the chemostratigraphic signature of phosphate levels of the interval between the top of Bed IIb and the base of Bed IIa (chemostratigraphic Horizons 6–8 in Kocsis et al, 2021), corresponding to the Selandian–early Thanetian (middle–late Paleocene) interval. This interval includes the Selandian Eritherium bone-bed which has yielded most of the Paleocene mammal fossils discovered from the Ouled Abdoun phosphates series (Kocsis et al, 2014, 2021; Yans et al, 2014).…”

“…Whereas the Ypresian phosphate levels yielded early representatives of modern orders of African ungulates (paenungulates), the Paleocene phosphate levels have yielded the first "condylarth-like" mammals, i.e., stem paenungulates, found in Africa, in addition to the earliest proboscidean Eritherium (see Gheerbrant, 2009 andGheerbrant et al, 2012) and the earliest known hyaenodont Lahimia (see Solé et al, 2009). Most of these Paleocene mammals come from phosphate levels dated Selandian (Kocsis et al, 2014(Kocsis et al, , 2016(Kocsis et al, , 2021Yans et al, 2014). The stem paenungulates described from the Paleocene of the Ouled Abdoun basin includes the two genera Ocepeia and Abdounodus, known by dental and cranial remains (Gheerbrant, 2010;Gheerbrant et al, 2001Gheerbrant et al, , 2014Gheerbrant et al, , 2016.…”

Phosphate Rocks: A Review of Sedimentary and Igneous Occurrences in Morocco

“…The phosphatic bioparticles exhibited the same distribution of REE as the natural phosphatic rocks (i.e., a negative Ce anomaly and HREE enrichment) (Figure 7). These REE patterns are similar to the REE pattern of modern oxic seawater, suggesting REE uptake by fossils from an early diagenetic pore fluid that was dominated by seawater [98,99]. In certain silicified facies, average SiO2 content can reach 14 wt.% alongside CaO and P2O5 (Table 3).…”

“…Compared to the other phosphate deposits from the Mediterranean province, and international phosphorites, the standardized quality of mineralogical or geochemical data is very rare or even unavailable for the natural phosphate rocks from Morocco. The few published works deal with data on the geochemistry of phosphate bioconstituents rather than the bulk rock [98,99]. The available data on Moroccan sedimentary phosphates show that, similar to other regional phosphate rocks, they are mainly composed of francolite and associated gangue minerals (e.g., calcite, dolomite, quartz, gypsum (occasionally)) and clay minerals (e.g., smectite, illite, palygorskite, sepiolite, kaolinite).…”

Highly variable content of fluorapatite-hosted COin the Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene phosphorites (Morocco) and implications for paleodepositional conditions

“…1; Hollard et al, 1985). A number of studies have detailed the facies association, petrography, mineralogy, as well as inorganic and organic geochemistry of the Moroccan phosphorites (El Bamiki, 2020;El Bamiki et al, 2020Kocsis et al, 2014Kocsis et al, , 2021Mouflih, 2015;Nguidi et al, 2021;Prévôt, 1988;Yans et al, 2014), yet the bulk and in situ chemical compositions of CFA-rich inorganic particles remain poorly documented.…”